This invention relates to medical EKG and EMG electrodes, and more specifically relates to those types of electrodes used on the skin which are self adhering without the use of tape or other auxiliary securing means. Berg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,078, and Hymes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,110 have disclosed monitoring and stimulation electrodes of this type. Berg teaches a sheet of complex organic polymer plasticized with a polyhydric alcohol as a skin interface member. Hymes teaches a sheet of high molecular weight hydrophilic polysaccharide material (karaya gum et al.), containing an electrolytic salt, water and alcohol, as a skin interface member.
Both Berg and Hymes teach an electrically conductive current distribution backer member containing a snap connector type electrical connector for mating with an electrical lead wire. These backer members have been taught principally to be of aluminum foil, or a structural and electrical equivalent or substitute for aluminum foil, such as metallic foils, conductive polymers, graphitized or metallized cloth or wire mesh.
These type backer members while taught to be pliable and sufficiently strong to support the snap connector, are not reusable. They are themselves electrically conductive. Moreover, they are taught to be pliable whereby they are easily mechanically workable beyond their elastic limit to conform to many shapes. These prior art electrodes have designed into them a certain desired amount of "softness" and lack of resilience which permits the backer member to conform to the skin surface. While this is a desirable feature it does not lend itself to a durable backer member which can be reusable and from which the interface member can be easily stripped.
In an effort to reduce ever increasing medical costs, it is desirable to have a disposable self adherent electrode where a part of the electrode is reusable. Moreover, it is desirable to provide such an electrode where the backer member is electrically non-conductive permitting a touching thereof without an electrical shock hazzard.
An object of this invention is to provide an electrode having a disposable, adhesive, electrically conductive skin interfacing member which is strippable from a non-disposable, electrical-connection, backer member.
Another object of this invention is to provide this electrode with a backer member which provides a means for making an electrical connection to the skin interfacing member, this backer member itself being electrically non-conductive.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a backer member of durable, flexible and resilient material, the adhesive skin interface member adhering thereto while also being cleanly strippable therefrom.
An even further object of this invention is to provide such a backer member with reinforcement, this surface being sufficiently rough to promote adherence of the skin interface portion while sufficiently smooth to allow release for clean strippability.